häviäjä

Häviäjä is a Finnish noun meaning a person who loses in a competition, game, or conflict, or more generally someone who fails to achieve a desired outcome. The term is commonly used in sports, politics, games, and everyday situations to label the defeated party. The opposite term is voittaja.

The word derives from the verb hävitä, meaning "to lose" or "to perish," with the agent suffix -jä forming a person who performs the action.

Usage and nuance: While neutral in core meaning, häviäjä often carries a negative or pejorative nuance and can function as a label rather than a descriptive term. In media and public discourse it is used to identify the defeated side, but it can feel dismissive if applied to a person who has failed.

In English, häviäjä is commonly translated as "loser." Related Finnish terms include voittaja (winner), tappio (loss), and häviö (defeat). Example: "Häviäjä ratkaisevassa hetkessä." The term is not always insulting; in self-deprecating or humorous contexts it may be used more lightly.